


Princess Monkey

by Lavender_and_Vanilla



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Bananas, Domestic Fluff, Established Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, Gen, Implied Relationships, M/M, Mystrade babysits, Protective Greg, Protective Mycroft, Toddlers, mystrade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 14:50:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15821112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavender_and_Vanilla/pseuds/Lavender_and_Vanilla
Summary: Sherlock and John must dash off for a case and leave toddler Rosie in the care of Greg and Mycroft.





	Princess Monkey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caffeinated_pens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caffeinated_pens/gifts).



> Written for RAVENSCORE's birthday as part of the Mystrade Birthday Buddies collection. Happy Birthday RAVENSCORE!

“They’re here!” Greg called out as he headed for the front door and heard a muffled ‘just coming’ from Mycroft’s study. Greg pulled open the door smiling at John and Rosie. “C’mon in.”

 

John stepped in carrying his daughter and Greg took the bags his friend had with him. “Sherlock’s is waiting in the cab, I hope, so I can’t stay.”

 

“Hiya Princess.” Greg cheerfully greeted Rosie. She laid her head on her father’s shoulder and smiled shyly around her thumb.

 

“I’m sorry this is so last minute,” John apologized.

 

“No worries mate.”

 

“Mary and I had an agreement…”

 

“I remember.” Greg’s tone was gentle. “It’s not our first rodeo, is it Princess?” Greg reached for Rosie. She snuggled closer to John.

 

“Okay, sweetheart. Go to Uncle Greg. Daddy and Sherlock will be back soon.” John started to hand his daughter to Greg, but she began to whimper.

 

“Rosamund, dear, hello.” Mycroft appeared behind Greg. His calm, low voice cut the brewing tantrum off.

 

Rosie craned to look and catching sight of Mycroft she nearly threw herself out of her father’s arms. “My-My! My-My! My-My!” she crowed.

 

Mycroft whisked her out of John’s grasp and gave her a gentle toss into the air. Rosie screamed with delight.

 

“Huh. What am I? Chopped liver?” Greg complained.

 

“Apparently,” remarked John watching Mycroft elicit smiles and giggles from the little girl. He shrugged. “Well, that’s settled. Sherlock promises we’ll be back tomorrow.”

 

“Riiiight. See you Monday.”

 

Greg deposited the bulk of Rosie’s things in their bedroom where her crib had been set up. That had been a source of debate, but Mycroft won. He’d fretted Rosie would be too far away in the guest room and he did not trust the baby monitor Greg suggested. Greg gave up; it would only be a night or two.

He found them in the drawing room enjoying a round of ‘This is the way the lady rides’. Greg placed a bag full of toys on the coffee table. Rosie squealed and laughed as Mycroft’s long legs jostled her imitating the gait of a farmer’s cob. Greg sat down next to them on the sofa. Mycroft returned to the more sedate rhythm of a lady’s palfrey.

 

“What shall we do this evening?” Greg tickled Rosie under her chin and smiled.

 

“Pay!” Rosie cheered.

 

“And what would you like to play?” Mycroft asked.

 

Rosie thought a moment. “Ponies.” She announced.

 

“You knew that was coming.” Greg reached in the bag and pulled out a handful of My Little Pony characters.

 

“What is this world coming to?” Mycroft opined as Rosie climbed off his lap and began to set up her ponies. "What happened to Winnie-the-Pooh or Thomas the Tank Engine?"

 

“Could be worse. Could be Strawberry Shortcake. They were scented when my girls were little.” Mycroft wrinkled his nose in distaste. Greg laughed and accepted Applejack as his pony for the evening.

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours later the drawing room was a mess. Toys were scattered all across the floor and the coffee table was smeared with peanut butter and bananas and sprinkled with toast crumbs. Rosie lay in Mycroft’s lap drowsily sucking on her sippy cup as Greg wiped her hands with a baby wipe.

 

“I think the princess is knackered. How about you take her up to bed and I’ll clean up.”

 

Mycroft quickly agreed feeling he was getting the better end of the deal. He handed the sippy cup to Greg. Rosie began to grumble, but Greg gave her Pinkie Pie to take with her. Mycroft stood, holding her close, and murmured reassurances.

 

“G’night Princess,” Greg said to her as he stroked her curls.

 

“Nigh’-nigh’, Gweg,” Rosie mumbled sleepily.

 

The diaper change woke her up a bit, so Mycroft paced the room and swayed with Rosie held against him. The little girl quietly sucked her thumb with her head on his shoulder. Mycroft hummed along with the lullabies playing in the background.

 

Rosie raised her head.

 

“Time to sleep Rosamund.” Mycroft murmured trying to get her to settle.

 

“Dusking.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Rosie took her thumb out of her mouth and pointed. “Dusking My-My. Dusking.”

 

Mycroft twisted his head to look at Rosie and then turned to see where she was pointing. “Dusking?”

 

The room was dim, but he could just make out…

 

“Dusking My-My.”

 

“Oh! _Disgusting_. Quite right, Rosamund. Disgusting.” Mycroft suppressed a shudder. “We will go get Gregory, yes?” He carefully crept out of the room keeping a watchful eye on the spider clinging to the wall of the bedroom.

 

Greg was still in the drawing room cleaning when Mycroft and Rosie arrived. “What’s Rosie still doing up?”

 

“There is an enormous spider in the bedroom and—“

 

“Dusking.” Rosie said solemnly and returned to sucking her thumb.

 

Mycroft nodded. “Exactly. It’s disgusting.” He made a face and shivered.

 

“Ah, got it.” Greg adopted an air of seriousness.

 

“We will be right here until you’ve taken care of it.” Mycroft seated himself and Rosie on the sofa, cuddling the child protectively.

 

Greg rolled his eyes, “Yes, your highnesses.”

 

It took a bit for Greg to catch the spider as it scuttled to a high corner near the ceiling. Eventually Greg returned to the drawing room to report his success in ridding the bedroom of the intruder.

 

“Okay, I’ve gotten rid of the ‘enormous, disgusting’…” Greg trailed off. Mycroft and Rosie were fast asleep on the sofa. Greg smiled fondly at the two of them. Greg gently lifted Rosie from Mycroft’s arms and Mycroft blinked awake. “C’mon sleepy head.” Greg whispered.

 

“It’s gone?”

 

“Yes, love, it’s gone.”

 

“It really was disgusting.” Mycroft mumbled as they made their way to the bed.

 

“If you and Princess say so, then it must be true.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning Greg awoke to soft pats on his cheek. Rosie was in the bed sitting between Mycroft and Greg. She grinned at Greg. “Gweg. I eat.”

 

“Hmm?” Greg groggily tried to make sense of what he was seeing and hearing.

 

“Gweg. I eat.”

 

“How did you get here?” Greg sat up.

 

“Cwimb.” Rosie said dismissively. “Gweg, I eat.”

 

“You’re hungry?”

 

Rosie nodded and put her thumb in her mouth.

 

“Okay Princess. Give me a minute. You keep Mycroft company, but don’t wake him.” Greg padded to the en suite.

 

When he returned Rosie looked up at Greg. “Shh! My-My sweeping.”

 

“Yes, Princess, he is. We’ll let him sleep a bit more. Let’s make breakfast, yeah?”

 

Mycroft found Greg and Rosie in the kitchen not long after he arose. Greg was cooking pancakes and Rosie sat on the counter top next to him munching on a banana.

 

“My-My!” She threw her arms up in the air and wriggled toward the edge.

 

“Careful Rosamund,” Mycroft scooped her off the counter and gave Greg a sharp look. “You could fall.”

 

“Huh, not that monkey.” Greg grunted.

 

“I eat ‘nana!”

 

“I see that.”

 

“’Nana?” She offered.

 

Mycroft quickly moved back from the gooey fruit Rosie presented to him. “No. Thank you dear. You seem to be enjoying that one. I’ll get my own.”

 

“Morning, love.” Greg kissed Mycroft’s cheek as he put a plate of pancakes on the kitchen table.

 

“Good morning. You two have been busy.”

 

“Well, Princess here made it quite clear she wanted to eat.” Greg gave Rosie a tummy tickle making her giggle. Mycroft narrowly missed getting a noseful of banana as she waved her arms.

 

“I see.”

 

Greg attached the clip on high chair to the kitchen table. “No, I don’t think you do. Rosie climbed out of the crib and into our bed to wake me up this morning.”

 

“Did you really?” Mycroft asked as he set Rosie in her seat and buckled her in.

 

“I cwimb.” Rosie said nonchalantly.

 

“Oh dear.” He sat next to her and cut a pancake up on her My Little Pony plate.

 

“Yep.” Rosie popped a piece of pancake in her mouth.

 

Greg handed her a sippy cup with milk. “I’ll see if I can lower the mattress before tonight.” He muttered to Mycroft as he seated himself.

 

“When did John say they would be back?” Mycroft queried in a low voice.

 

“Maybe tonight, could be longer.”

 

“Dada?”

 

“Mmm? Yes, Princess. Dada will be back soon.”

 

“Dada, Sh’rock pay case?”

 

Mycroft raised his eyebrows. ‘Sh’rock?’ he mouthed at Greg, who snickered.

 

“Yes, Daddy and Sherlock are on a case.”

 

“Somehow ‘My-My’ doesn’t seem so bad,” he murmured to Greg.

 

“What do you say about a trip to the park this morning?” Greg suggested to Rosie.

 

“I cwimb?”

 

“I’m sure there will be things you can climb.” Mycroft promised.

 

“Yay!”

 

“But first eat your breakfast.”

 

Rosie grinned and shoved several pancake pieces in her mouth. “I eat,” she mumbled.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Rosamund Mary Watson!” Mycroft sprinted after Rosie. “Get down from there!” Mycroft fumed as he snatched Rosie from her precarious perch on the back of a park bench. She had been attempting to scale the stone wall behind the bench.

 

Rosie stared at Mycroft wide eyed. Her lower lip trembled. “I wanna cwimb.”

 

Greg trotted up to his partner and Rosie. “Not the wall, Princess. You scared Mycroft.”

 

“And you weren’t scared?” Mycroft snapped at Greg.

 

“Nah. I knew you’d get there in time.” Greg took Rosie from Mycroft and tickled her. “Besides she’s part monkey from all the bananas she eats.”

 

“Princess Monkey!” Rosie declared, her exuberance teasing a reluctant smile from Mycroft.

 

“C’mon Princess Monkey. Let’s find some proper climbing equipment. I believe there’s some up ahead.”

 

Greg put her down and held her hand as they walked the rest of the way to the playground. Mycroft trailed behind watchfully. As the playground came in to view Greg dropped her hand. Rosie ran ahead a few steps and then stopped. She looked back. “I cwimb?”

 

“Yes, Princess Monkey you go climb.”

 

With a shriek of delight she raced into the playground and quickly scrambled up one of the many climbing structures. She wriggled past some slower climbers and made her way to the top.

 

Mycroft came to stand next to Greg. “Is this safe?” he fretted.

 

“You rather her climb park benches, kitchen counter tops and garden walls?”

 

“No, I’d rather she stay on the ground.”

 

Greg slipped an arm around Mycroft’s waist and hugged him. “I know, love.”

 

“My-My! Look! I cwimb!” Rosie crowed.

 

“Yes, you certainly do.” Mycroft called back.

 

* * *

 

 

Rosie was asleep by the time they arrived home. The morning spent climbing, then followed by lunch at Giraffe, had worn the little girl out. Greg carried her in from the car with Mycroft opening the door.

 

“I’ll just put her in the crib.”

 

“Did you lower the mattress?”

 

“No, but it’s just a nap. We’ll be up to hear her.” Mycroft nodded and Greg took Rosie to the bedroom.

 

“Whew!” Greg plopped on the couch next to Mycroft. “I’d forgotten how exhausting a toddler could be.”

 

“I don’t think I ever knew.” Mycroft looked weary.

 

Greg could believe Mycroft was tired. He’d spent the entire time at the park trailing behind the little girl ready to catch her.

 

“Tea?” Greg offered.

 

“Please.”

 

“Find us something stupid to watch.” Greg gave Mycroft a brief kiss and headed to the kitchen.

 

He returned with two mugs of tea to find Mycroft had tuned in a football match.

 

“I know it’s not your team, but nothing else seems remotely palatable.”

 

“This is fine, if you’re okay with it? I can watch with the sound down.”

 

Mycroft yawned. “Excuse me. Honestly, I find I’m rather tired and may just take a nap myself.”

 

They sipped their tea and Mycroft leaned against Greg. After a bit he put his mug down and pulled his feet up on the couch. Greg shifted, lifted his arm and let Mycroft curl up under it. Mycroft quickly dozed off. Greg lasted only a few minutes longer. Soon they were both fast asleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Some hours later John and Sherlock stood in the drawing room looking at the two sleeping men.

 

John shook his head. “Why don’t I go find Rosie and you wake them.”

 

“Must we? Can’t we just take Watson and go?”

 

“No, you’ll send them in a panic. Scotland Yard and MI5 will be activated.”

 

“But they’re… all… curled up… together.” Sherlock shuddered.

 

“Dada! Sh’rock!” Rosie exclaimed as she wandered in from the kitchen holding a banana.

 

“Hello sweetheart.” John greeted his daughter. He scooped her up and kissed her cheek.

 

“Shh!” Rosie admonished. “Gweg and My-My sweeping.”

 

“Rosamund!” Mycroft sat straight up, jostling Greg.

 

“Hello brother-mine.”

 

“Sherlock? John?” Mycroft took a second to process everything he was seeing. “Gregory, wake up. They’re back.”

 

“Wha…?” Greg sat up and rubbed his eyes.

 

“Wear you out did she?” John grinned at Greg and Mycroft as they got their bearings.

 

Mycroft looked at Rosie in John’s arms holding the banana. “Rosamund where did you get that banana?”

 

“I cwimb?” She offered hesitantly.

 

Greg groaned. “John, a little warning that your daughter is descended from Sir Edmund Hilary would’ve been nice.”

 

Sherlock chuckled, took Rosie’s banana and peeled it for her. “She does enjoy climbing.”

 

“I Princess Monkey.” Rosie said contentedly chewing on her banana.

 

FIN


End file.
